6 days ago
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AC Milan have a rare midweek game to contend with as they make the short trip to Bergamo to face Atalanta on Tuesday night.
For Milan, the events of Friday night must still sting as they squandered the opportunity to lock in top spot for another week, drawing 2-2 against a Pisa side who were in bottom place in the standings going into the game.
In his pre-match press conference, Massimiliano Allegri admitted that his team ‘made life difficult’ for themselves by letting a one-goal lead slip and requiring an added-time equaliser to snatch a draw. However, there is the chance to put things right a few days later.
Game date: Tuesday, October 28
Kick-off time: 20:45 (CEST)
Venue: New Balance Arena
Referee: Daniele Doveri (VAR: Chiffi)
Team news
Given that Allegri has made just five substitutions combined across the last two games, the size of Milan’s squad and the lack of depth available – largely due to injuries – has once again come under the microscope.
Compared to the draw with Pisa, there is only one good bit of injury news: Ruben Loftus-Cheek was back in full training on Sunday, and he is therefore fit enough to be in the squad. At present, he is not expected to start the game, though.
When asked about the other injury problems in his presser, Allegri said the following on Christian Pulisic’s return date: “Absolutely not against Roma. We hope to have him on the bench against Parma.”
On Ardon Jashari, he added: “He could return to the group on Wednesday, then he’ll need to re-acclimate, and it’ll take time, but just having him back with the team is great, for him too.”
The other two absentees are Adrien Rabiot and Pervis Estupinan. The latter is certainly closer to returning, with talk that he is targeting the Roma game on Sunday night. The Frenchman on the other hand is expected to be out until after the November international break.
Looking at the lineup then, Mike Maignan will obviously keep his place in between the sticks, whilst Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic will also retain their spots in the back three. However, Fikayo Tomori should return after sitting out against Pisa.
The midfield should remain the same too, with Luka Modric, Youssouf Fofana and Samuele Ricci all expected to start. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is available, but he may only feature from the bench. On the wings, it will again be Alexis Saelemaekers and Davide Bartesaghi.
It could be a final chance for Santiago Gimenez up front, given there has been a fair bit of criticism of the Mexican recently. However, he will start alongside Rafael Leao once again. Both will be keen to show that they can excel together.
Predicted Milan XI (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Ricci, Bartesaghi; Gimenez, Leao.
Predicted bench: Terracciano, Pittarella, De Winter, Odogu, Athekame, Sala, Loftus-Cheek, Nkunku.
Injuries and suspensions: Jashari, Rabiot, Pulisic, Estupinan.
The opponents
It was all-change for Atalanta during the summer as they said goodbye to long-serving coach Gian Piero Gasperini. He went to Roma, who are Milan’s opponents after the game in Bergamo, with former Torino and Hellas Verona head coach Ivan Juric called upon to be his replacement.
There were a couple of big sales in the summer as 2024-25 Capocannoniere winner Mateo Retegui headed to Al Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia for a fee of over €68m. The other was Matteo Ruggeri, who signed for Atletico Madrid for €17m.
In terms of spending, the loan deals for Odilon Kossounou (Bayer Leverkusen, €20m), Marco Brescianini (Frosinone, €10m) and Lazar Samardzic (Udinese €14.8m) were all turned into permanent deals.
Kamaldeen Sulemana signed from Juric’s old club Southampton for €17m plus add-ons, while Honest Ahanor was acquired from Genoa for the same fee, as was Nicola Zalewski from Inter. The big splash in attack was Nikola Krstovic, who cost €25m from Lecce, plus bonuses.
La Dea signed a couple of players from Milan in the summer mercato too: Yunus Musah headed there on a loan deal that can be made permanent, while Marco Sportiello became the new deputy goalkeeper in Bergamo.
Atalanta are having a strange seasons results-wise in many ways, having drawn six of eight games in the league so far. Their two wins (4-1 vs. Lecce, 3-0 vs. Torino) also account for over half of their goals scored. The other results were 1-1 draws against Pisa, Parma, Juventus, Como and Cremonese, plus a 0-0 vs. Lazio.
In the Champions League it has been a bit of a mixed bag, too. A 4-0 demolition at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain was followed up by a 2-1 home win over Club Brugge (who knocked them out last season) and then a 0-0 draw against Slavia Praha, again at home.
In terms of injury doubts for Juric to contend with, a late decision will be made on Sead Kolasinac. Mitchell Bakker remains out for a few more weeks, while Giorgio Scalvini is also in doubt.
Despite the fact that La Dea are winless in their last four Serie A games, Ivan Juric is not expected to move from his preferred 3-4-3 formation. So, Carnesecchi should sit behind a defensive line of Djimsiti, Hien and Kossounou, who is expected to return as a starter.
This means De Roon should move back into midfield, and he will likely partner Ederson. Bellanova and Zalewski will then attack from the flanks. Further up the pitch, De Ketelaere will look to cause his former clubs issues again, whilst Lookman and Krstovic round off an underperforming front-three.
Predicted Atalanta (3-4-3): Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kossounou; Bellanova, Ederson, De Roon, Zalewski; De Ketelaere, Krstovic, Lookman.
Predicted bench: Sportiello, Rossi, Obric, Musah, Pasalic, Ahanor, Zappacosta, Brescianini, Bernasconi, Maldini, Scamacca, Sulemana, Samardzic.
Injuries and suspensions: Kolasinac, Scalvini, Bakker.
Head to head
Milan and Atalanta have met 149 times in their history across all competitions, so Tuesday’s game will be a landmark 150th meeting. Historically, the Rossoneri have the edge with 69 wins against La Dea’s 31, while 48 games have ended in draws.
However, the recent record is not one for Milan to smile at as they haven’t beaten Atalanta since the 2022-23 season, losing four games and drawing one since then.
In the same fixture last year, Charles De Ketelaere opened the scoring for the home side before Alvaro Morata equalised. Ademola Lookman got the winner three minutes from time.
In the return game at San Siro, Atalanta would complete a league double over their Lombardy rivals. Ederson got the only goal of that particular game.
Key facts and stats
➤ Milan have not won at the New Balance Arena since October 3, 2021. The last time they won in front of a full crowd was in February 2019. Krzysztof Piatek scored a brace, whilst Hakan Calhanoglu scored the other Rossoneri goal.
➤ Ivan Juric has managed 15 games against the Diavolo, winning four, drawing four and losing seven times. He has only won two games at home, once in April 2024 and the other in October 2016.
➤ Massimiliano Allegri has faced Atalanta 30 times as a manager, winning 16 times, drawing eight and losing six times. He has only lost at the New Balance Arena twice, both with Cagliari in 2008 and April 2010.
➤ With 14 goals, Gunnar Nordahl is this fixture’s top scorer with 14, Marco van Basten follows behind with nine.
➤ Charles De Ketelaere has not lost a game against his former club since moving to La Dea. He has scored once and assisted another in his four appearances, winning three times.
Ones to watch
Charles De Ketelaere is an obvious choice for one to watch on Tuesday night. The Belgian arrived in Italy with significant pressure to perform for the Rossoneri, but it took a move to the Nerazzurri for him to kick on.
On the topic of transfers, the performance of Marco Carnesecchi could be interesting. Reports have linked the Italian to Milan recently, and if he has a solid game, those ideas could be strengthened.
Every game feels the same for Santiago Gimenez, but while his goal drought continues, he will continue to be watched heavily. The Mexican is in desperate need of a Serie A goal, and if it arrives against Atalanta, he could kick on, hopefully.
Samuele Ricci’s performance will also be one to watch with intrigue. Whilst the Italian has been solid in the minutes which he has had, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is getting ready to return. If he wants to keep a starting spot, he may need a big performance here.
Prediction
The Rossoneri have been on the wrong end of narrow defeats in their last two visits to Bergamo, and they are winless there since October 2021. Milan could do with a strong performance, especially to turn the record in their favour, but expect a close game.
Atalanta 1-2 Milan
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